The radiant light, unhindered and inconceivable, eradicates suffering and brings realization of joy; the excellent Name, perfectly embodying all practices, eliminates obstacles and dispels doubt. This is the teaching and practice for our latter age; devote yourself solely to it. It is eye and limb in this defiled world; do not fail to endeavor in it. Accepting and living the supreme, universal Vow, then, abandon the defiled and aspire for the pure. Reverently embracing the Tathagata's teaching, respond in gratitude to his benevolence and be thankful for his compassion.

~ Shinran Shonin, Passages on the Pure Land Way

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Walking with Rennyo: Awareness

(8) Awareness

Rennyo Shonin was discussing matters with two visitors, Kyoken from
Mikawa, and Kuken from Ise. “The meaning of namu
is kimyo, an anticipation of future
rebirth. Kimyo is awareness of the
fundamental vow-power’s transference of merits.”

Literally
translated, namu means “homage” or
“praise,” while kimyo signifies
taking refuge. In this conversation, Rennyo Shonin references the writing of
Zendo Daishi (the Chinese master Shan-tao or Shandao). In his Commentary, Shan-tao clarified that namu and kimyo had essentially the same meaning: that of taking refuge
through the one thought-moment of trust in Amida’s Vow. This passage in
particular is one of Rennyo’s favorites, and he quotes it often throughout his
many letters. For example, in Rennyo Shonin
Ofumi, Fascicle Four, Letter 8, the following passage appears:

Shandao explained long ago in his commentary: “‘Namu’ means ‘to take refuge.’ It also signifies aspiring to be born
and directing virtue. ‘Amida-butsu’
is the practice.”

Though the “anticipation
of future rebirth” that Rennyo refers to has always been an integral element
of Jodo Shinshu teaching, it is a fact that many Shin Buddhists today fail to
recognize this “other-worldly” aspect of faith. Be that as it may, without the
certainty of being reborn in the Pure Land at the point of death, faith would
ultimately be meaningless—a self-delusion and nothing more. Some scholars, who
apparently have not read The Collected
Works of Shinran in its entirety, are of the opinion that Master Shinran
did not discuss the afterlife, and that this idea was introduced by Rennyo as
an attempt to popularize Shinshu among the masses. One need only read the Founder’s writings,
however, to see that his interpretation and Rennyo’s are in fact one and the
same. The passages dealing with this are numerous; the following is representative
of what Shinran’s position was on this important matter:

But the person who purposely thinks and does what he or she should not,
saying that it is permissible because of the Buddha's wondrous Vow to save the
foolish being, does not truly desire to reject the world, nor does such a one
consciously feel himself a being of karmic evil. Hence such people have no
aspiration for the nembutsu nor for the Buddha's Vow; thus, however they engage
in nembutsu with such an attitude, it is difficult for them to attain birth in
the next life.

It is only through
the entrusting heart of shinjin, therefore, that we become fully aware of Amida
Buddha’s Vow to save us, of the eons of practice required to accomplish this
Vow. We also become aware of the influence of Other-Power (tariki) in our lives, prompting us to give up all pretense and
leave everything to Buddha. This is what “taking refuge” means in Shinshu. It
is Amida’s directing of virtue for our going forth to the Pure Land, and for
our subsequent return to this world.

Speaking personally,
ever since I first took refuge in the Primal Vow, I have become aware of how my life before (and no doubt past lives) was like a prelude or a prologue to that
event, giving meaning to otherwise-unrelated thoughts, people, places, even
obsessions and blind passions. I became aware of how, behind the scenes, the
Buddha was constantly working to pry open the heavy lid of my mind and let in
the Light. There is a definite kind of awe that is felt when one realizes that
some of the most annoying, even painful, circumstances of one’s life have
occurred for a reason. For me, and for uncountable millions of others, the Pure
Land teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha has given a true purpose for my current as
well as past existence. This purpose is nothing other than becoming a Buddha—a
truly free, awakened person—through hearing Amida Buddha’s Name. The promise of
the inconceivable birth that awaits in the Pure Land gives people of shinjin
the determination to live with confidence and joy, no matter what their present
situation may be.

In one of his many
poems, Master Rennyo expressed the following:

Whatever karmic transgressions

You have committed till today,

You are freed from their retribution,

If you put your trust in Amida.

Simply by hearing
the Name of Amida Tathagata and relying entirely on His Vow, which is
altogether trustworthy, the heavy burden of our evil past actions is lifted. I
believe that this Dharma medicine is capable of curing the spiritual illnesses
of people today, just as much as when Shakyamuni walked the earth.